Small-leaved Elm

Ulmus minor subsp. minor Richens, the Smooth-leaved Elm or Narrow-leaved Elm is a subspecies of the Field Elm native to southern Europe and Asia Minor (including Iran). It is believed to have been introduced to northern Europe, including England, by Man during the Bronze Age. It is a deciduous tree that once commonly grew < 35 m tall, its Latin synonym carpinifolia alluding to the superficial similarity of the leaves to those of Hornbeam Carpinus sp., while the common name contrasts the smooth upper surface of the leaves with those of the Wych Elm, which are rough. The tree is very susceptible to Dutch elm disease, and only a few mature trees survive, in areas whither the disease has yet to spread. However, the tree suckers readily, and thus its genetic resources are not considered endangered.